Specter regrets 'no' vote on Sessions

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Specter tells reporters that out of the 10,000 votes he has cast, he can now recall one that he regrets.
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Sen. Arlen Specter said Tuesday he regrets his vote against Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) two decades ago that helped kill his nomination to the federal bench.

Sessions, who has now assumed Specter's former position as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, was nominated by President Ronald Reagan in 1986 to be a federal judge — but Specter provided a key "no" vote after allegations were made that Sessions had a poor record on race relations as Alabama attorney general. Sessions has called those allegations false and unfounded.

Now Sessions and Specter both serve on the Judiciary Committee and have never spoken about the vote that prevented Sessions from winning a lifetime seat in the federal judiciary.

Following his first lunch meeting with Senate Democrats on Tuesday, Specter told reporters that out of the 10,000 votes he has cast, he can now recall one that he regrets.

“I don’t expect everybody to agree with all my votes, and I don’t agree with all my votes, either, at this point ... and I was asked the other day what vote I regretted, and I couldn’t’ think of one that I wanted to publicly state, but I’m prepared to do that now in response to your question,” Specter said. “My vote against candidate Sessions for the federal court was a mistake.”

Asked why, Specter said, "because I have since found that Sen. Sessions is egalitarian."

Specter, who dined on fish and broccoli and received a standing ovation at the Democratic lunch meeting, also sought to clarify his strong denial of a Wall Street Journal report that he told Obama he would be a “loyal Democrat.”

Specter’s denial has raised questions among Democrats about whether he would be a sure vote in support of Obama’s agenda.

“I did not use the word ‘loyal,’” Specter said Tuesday. “As the transcript shows, I expected to be supportive of the president’s agenda. The president then said that he would seek my advice, especially when I disagree with him. The president was upfront, as I am upfront on saying that I will follow my conscience on the interests of my state and the country in how I vote.”

He later listed positions that are in line with the Democratic Party, like his support for abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research.

“I think in this line of work you have to prove yourself every day to everybody,” Specter said.

Readers' Comments (25)

With friends like Arlen Spector the Democrats don't need scum. Jeff Sessions is/was a racist bigot but Sen. Spector "regrets" voting down his lifetime judicial appointment. I hope the Democrats of Pennsylvania don't regret voting for the turncoat Spector over a real Democrat.

Sessions stated that white DAs defending Voting Rights Act cases were a "disgrace to their race." He told an African-American DA to "watch how he talks to white people." Specter "regrets" not voting for this guy? No one who holds such views on race should be a in a postition of judgment against others. You are off to a great start as a Demcrat Arlen.....

Spectre's greatest hits always seem to be aimmed at those who had supported him . W and Santorum made fools of themselves campaigning for Spectre . I know President Obama is too smart to count on Benedict Arlen . Maybe Arlen can persuade him to nominate a judge with a background in Scottish law .

KooL27Aid, I've never heard this - where did you get this information? The Daily KOS? The Huffington Post?

How about those who testified at his confirmation hearing. Sessions didn't even deny that he said the "disgrace to his race comment," and tried to frame it as a "joke." Here is a Time article, that sites to Politico: http://swampland.blogs.time.co... Media Matters recaps the stories written about the hearings back in the '80s: http://mediamatters.org/resear...

With Obama likely nominating a minority, does the GOP really need this guy as their face during the usually contentious hearings?

We don't need a Trojan Horse in the Democratic Party. If Spector regrets saying no to a redneck bigot, then he is a Republican in disguise and we don't want him. Let's see what the Pennsylvania voters say with a broader field at the next election.

I would be open to real proof, but this is all heresay. The Madow piece is pure smear, typical of her stuff. the test for MSNBC: do they EVER have anyone on who disagrees with them? Anyway, this does not rise to the level of proof.

Arlen Specter is a piece of work that only Arlen Specter can explain. It is a regret for him I'm sure, that he ever had the momentum to project himself into public office to the level he would have liked. He would sell his mother down the river if he thought it would get him somewhere, and he'd tell her it's just what she wanted. Specter only regrets his name hasn't been up in more lights than it is now. He's a big deal, and that's all he's ever wanted. It's short lived, as is he. As are we all. But he, in particular, believes his name is associated with something his reputation belies. Oh well, such is the folly of old men. He's a short story. Maybe of the Checkoff kind. Spector would have voted for whatever side of the bread his butter was on. Today. Tomorrow. Always. He's a politician, and of the worst kind. The democrats can have him, as well as some others.

Specter's phony posturing, as though he has a shred of integrity, is revolting. He admitted that he changed his party affiliation, based on polling, for the sole reason of getting elected to another term. I pray that the people of Pennsylvania have enough self-respect to disallow themselves to be manipulated so shamelessly by such a self-centered man as Arlen Specter. Our country is in crisis and needs congresspersons who will put the best interests of their constituencies above their own narcissistic needs, a concept that would be completely alien to Arlen Specter, as evidenced by his complete betrayal of the people who elected him to office.